Officials say no firearms found on campus, expect business as usual todayBy Sharlee Crowson and Mary Kincy Benefield

government@couriernews.com, crime@couriernews.com

Parents of many Dardanelle High School students removed their children from school Thursday in response to fears of campus violence that arose after a rumor suggesting someone was planning to bring a firearm to the campus circulated among the student body Wednesday night, authorities confirmed.

In addition to School Resource Officer Keith Lunsford, who is on campus daily, Dardanelle Police Chief Montie Sims said he and another officer visited the campus throughout the day Thursday to provide increased security in light of the rumor.

"We were down there just on the side of prevention - not that we actually thought that there was someone on school grounds with a weapon," Sims said.

"We never actually had a report that anyone was seen on school grounds with a firearm," he added.

According to Dardanelle School Superintendent John Thompson, the problem began Wednesday morning when a group of students took offense to a recently-penned racial slur which appeared in the high school bathroom.

He said the dispute, which Sims confirmed involved both Hispanic and white males, continued after school hours in a restaurant parking lot across the street, causing DHS Principal Marcia Lawrence to intervene but not pursue disciplinary action.

"The principal broke it up, and it was fairly routine. No names were documented," Thompson said.

Later in the evening, Lawrence said, word of a possible incident at school the next day began to "spread like fire" via text messages and chat room conversations.

Sims characterized the exchanges as a "rumor mill."

"It started last night at approximately 11 p.m. with students and, I don't know, maybe even some adults text messaging others that they needed to stay out of school today - that there was going to be guns on campus," Sims said.

Thompson confirmed he requested Sims and another officer be present at the school Thursday in order to assist the school's resource officer as a precautionary measure.

The appearance of law enforcement officers may have contributed to the large number of students who left school Thursday, which Lawrence said left so few students remaining there was almost no point in continuing classes.

"We are trying to chase rumors, but we just feel like that is all we are dealing with," Thompson said when asked if there were any warranted concerns.

Other than a young man taken into custody after a pocket knife Sims said "was longer than it should have been by state law" was found in his locker, no weapons were found on school grounds, Sims added.

"As far as we were concerned, the kids at school [Thursday] were just as safe as they would be anywhere else in the world today," Sims said.

Thompson said as far as he knew, school officials were currently attempting to identify students involved in the dispute as none had yet been named, and said classes will be held today as scheduled.

Sims confirmed officers would keep a close watch on the campus throughout the day.

"I would encourage parents to take their kids to school [today] and leave them at school," Sims said. "I think they'll be safe."